Control apparatus.



A. J. HALL.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLXCATION FILED NOV. 25. 1914.

1,300,383. Patentd Apr. 15,1919.

INVENTOR Aff/M/J f/a/A BY 2 ATTORNEY WITNESSES AitTI-IUB. J. HALL, orWILKINSBURG, rENNsYLvANI-A, AssreNonTo WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC ANDMANUFACTURING COMPANY, -'A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A r.-15, 19 19.

Application filed Nbviiidr 25, 1914. seriei'nesvaels.

To all whomit may concern:

, Be it known that I, ARTHUR .HALL, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of Wilkii'isburg, in' the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulIinprovement'in Control Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification. U

My invention relates to control pparatus for governing the operation ofdynamo-electric machines, and it has special reference to liquidrheostats that are adapted for use in connection with alternatingcurrent induction motors. p

One of the objects of my invention isfto simplify and improve theconstruction and operation of apparatus of the above-indicated characterand to provide control apparatus of simple,c0II 1pact and light construction which shall operate effectively and reliably to perform itsintended functions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combined discharge andregulating valve for liquidrlieostats having a minimum number of movableparts and which may be actuated readily without undue frictionalresistance.

A still further object of myinventio'n is to provide a fluid-pressureoperating mechanism for efiecting the actuation of the combineddischarge and regulating valve hereinbefore referred to, and which shallembody a plurality of electrically operated inlet and exhaust valvesassociated with each end of the operating cylinder by means of which thedischarge valve may be actuated at different rates of speed.

In a co-pending application, Serial No. 829,432, filed Apri 4, 1914,by'G. M. Eaton and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & ManufacturingCompany, a liquid rheostat is disclosed which is provided withindependently operate d discharge and regulating valves that arearranged in concentric or telescopic relation. For certain classes ofwork, the operation of valves of this type is sluggish and'unreliable byreason of the excessive amount of frictional resistance that the movingparts encounter. Moreover, there is an appreciable time interval betweenthe manipulation of the controller which governs the operation of thevalves and the initial movement thereof, so that the operation is not assensitive and quickly responsive as may be desired in certain service.

According to'my present invention,'I "propose to overcome'theclifficulties and disadvantages of operation of the prior art and toprovide a device by means of which'the in side elevation, ofaportion 'ofja'pair 0f liquid rheostats constructed in'accordance With my invention;F lg. 2.is a plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan view of the combined 'discharge and regulatingvalveconstituting a part of the apparatus illustrated inFigs 1 and 2;and Figs. stand 5 are sectional views showing said valve in difierentoperating positions.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus shown comprises a main receivingtank or reservoir 1, a plurality of liquid rheo'stats2 and 3 disposedabove said tank and severally having combined discharge and regulatingvalves 4 and a fluidpressure operating mechanism 5 for actuating saidvalves concurrently. q I i The main reservoir 1 and the several liquidrheosta'ts 2 and 3, which are of like construction, may be of any'suitable type. Each of the rheo'stats 2 and 3 is provided 'with'abottom opening 7 which communicates with the reserveir 1, and an inletport 8 'isassociated with each rheostat for the purpose of continuouslysupplying electrolyte thereto.

Within the discharge opening '7, the combined discharge and regulatingvalve ti: is located and said valve c'omprisesan annular supportinmemberQS having, a plurality of seats 9 ZLIIL '10 of dili'erentdiameters and a plurality of tubular sections 11 and 12 thatrespectively fit tightly over said seats 9 and 10 and are suitablysecured thereto. The tubular sections ll and 12 areconcentricallyrelated and project in opposite directions from the annular supportingmember 8, the lower section 12 being substantially of the diameter ofthedischarge opening 7 and adapted to have a sliding engagement with theedge thereof, and'the upper section 11 being of materially lessdiameter, so that when the valve 4 occupies its initial position, asshown in Fig. 1, an annular opening is provided between the section 11and the, edge of the opening 7 through which the inflowingelectrolyte isdischarged. By reason of thecom'paratively slight and restricted area ofcontact between the tubular section 12 and'the edge of the opening 7,there is no appreciable frictional resistance to the moveplurality ofradial arms 14 and a central portion. 15 to which is secured anoperating rod 16 by means of which the valve 4 is supported andactuated, as will be hereinafter set forth.

The fluid-pressure operating mechanism 5 comprises a cylinder 20 havinga plurality of movable pistons 21 and '22 contained therein andmechanically associated through the agency of a piston rod 23. A crossarm 24 has a bearing 25 upon the cylinder 20 and is rigidly associatedwith the piston rod 23 in a suitable manner and is adapted to beactuated thereby. The supporting rods 16 that carry the several valves 4of the rheostats 2 and 3 are attached to the respective ends of thecross arm 24.

A combined inlet and exhaust valve 30 and an auxiliary exhaust valve3l'are associated with the lower end of =the-cylinder 20 :and'saidv-alves are provided with operating electromagnets 32 in accordancewith well-known practice. The'upper end of the cylinder 20 is providedwith a combined inlet and exhaust valve 33 and an auxiliary exhaustvalve 34, both of which are adapted tions with the atmosphere.

for electromagnetic operation. WVithout describing the construction ofthese valves in detail, it is deemed suflicient to state that, in theirnormal deenergized positions, an inlet ort 36 of valve 30 is closed,while its exhaust port 37 and an exhaust'port 38 of valve 31 are open toestablish communica- Moreover, an inlet port 39 of valve 33 is open toadmit operating fluid to the upper end of the cylinder 20, while itsexhaust port 40 and an exhaust port 41 of valve 34 are closed.

The upper end of the cylinder 20 is also provided with apressure-responsive device 43 which comprises a cylinder 44, a movablepiston 45'1and a spring 46 which surrounds a stem 47 and acts inopposition to the pressure within the upper end of cylinder 20;

The stem 47 is provided with a switch member 48 which is adapted tocooperatively engage a pluralityof stationary contact terminals 49 underpredetermined pressure conditions. The purpose of the fluid-pressureresponsive device 43 and the circuit connections and mode of operationof the several valves 30, 31, 33 and 34 are fully set forth in myco-pending application, Serial No. 876,484, Dec. 10, 1914, and,sincethese. features pertain only indirectly to my present inventlon, nodescription thereof will be given.

Assuming the various parts of the apparatus to occupy the positionsshown in Fig. 1, it is evident that operating fluid is ad mitted throughinlet port 39 of the valve 33 to the upper end of the cylinder 20, whilethe lower end thereof is opened to the atmosphere through exhaust ports37 and 38 of the valves 30 and 31, respectively. Under these conditions,an unbalanced pressure acts upon the associated pistons 21 and 22 andsaid pistons are forced to their lower most positions, whereby theseveral combined discharge and reg lating valves 4 are also caused tooccupy similar positions. The inflo-wing electrolyte, therefore, ispermitted to be discharged into the main reservoir 1 throughthe annulardischarge openings 7.

In order to quickly close the discharge openings, all of the valves 30,31, 33 and 34 are energized and moved into their opposite positions,whereby the supply of oper ating fluid to the upper end of the cylinder20 is cut off, while both of the exhaust ports 40 and 41 of therespective valves 43 and 44 are opened to permit the esca 3c of fluid tothe atmosphere. Simultaneous y, the exhaust ports 37 and 38 of thevalves 30 and 31 are closed and fluid pressure is admitted to the lowerend of the cylinder 20 through the inlet port 36 of valve 30.

, By reason of the opening of exhaust ports 40 and 41, the operatingfluid in the upper end of the cylinder 20 is permitted to rapidlyescape, thereby reducing the pressure thereof and permitting arelatively rapid upward movement of the pistons 21 and 22, and, hence,of the regulating valves 4.

When the combined discharge and regu'-' lating valves 4 reach theposition shown in Fig.4, the discharge openings 7 are closed, and thecontinuously inflowing electrolyte then rises to a height correspondingto the upper end of the tubular section 11 of the valves 4, which heightis termed the flushlevel and is just suflicient toimmersethe lower endsof the electrodes 50. The flush-level, therefore, is' quicklyestablished by reason of the sensitiveness and rapidity of movement ofthe operating mechanism 5. i Having established the flush-level, it isdesirable to effect further movements of the valves 4 at a.comparatively slow rate,

whereby the height of the electrolyte with- 1n the rheostats 2 and 3 maybe regulated as desired, it being understood, of course, that anyexcess: of electrolyte overflows and is discharged through the valves 4.The slow rate of movement is obtained by causing the valve 34: to eifectthe closure of its exhaust port ll, thus retarding the escape ofoperating fluid from the upper end of the cylinder 20.

As the regulating valves 4: are raised beyond the flush-level positionto a position such as indicated in Fig. 5, the discharge openings 7 aremaintained closed by reason of the substantially tight fit between thelowerjsecti'ons 12 of the valves i and the edge of the openings 7 Whilethe level of the'electroly te is raised to a height corresponding tothat of the upper ends of sections 11 of valves 4.

Obviously, the upward movement of the valves may be arrested at anypoint by opening the inlet port 39 of valve 33 and closing the exhaustport 41 of valve 34 and exhaus't port L0 of valve 33, whereby balancedpressure conditions acting upon the pistons 21 and 22 are obtained.

By suitalbly operating the valves 30, 31, 33 and 34, the pistons 21 and22 and their associated valves 4 may be actuated in a downward directionat different rates of speed. For instance, when it is desired to quicklydischarge the electrolyte from the rheostats 2 and 3, it is onlynecessary to permit the several control valves just referred to, to bedeenergized and to be moved into their initial positions, as shown inFig. 1. Operating fluid is then admitted to the upper end of thecylinder 20 and released from the lower end thereof, whereby theunbalanced pressures effect the desired result and the valves 4 arequickly lowered to their initial positions to permit the discharge ofelectrolyte through said valves and through the annular openings 7between said valves and the respective rheostat tanks.

Modifications in the structural details and in the arrangement andlocation of parts may, of course, be efi'ected without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, and such modifications areintended to be covered in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a liquid-containing tank having a bottom openingtherein, of a hollow member open at its ends and comprising a pluralityof cylindrical sections of materially difierent diameters, the largersection being located at the bottom and adapted to substantially fillsaid opening.

2. The combination with a liquid-containing tank having abottom openingtherein,

' of a hollow member open at its ends and comprising an uppercylindrical section of materially less diameter than said opening andnormally adapted to project therethrough, and a lower cylindricalsection of substantially the diameter of said opening,

said lower section being longitudinally disposed below said opening andadapted to substantially fill said opening when 'raised in position.

3. The combination with aliquid -containing tank having a bottomope ningtherein, of a movable Valve comprising two hollow cylindrical portionsopen atthe ends, the upper portion normally projecting through saidopening and providing an. annular opening of material size between theedge of said bottom opening and said upper portion, and the bottomportion normally located below said opening and'being of sub stantiallythe same diameter and adapted to fill said opening when saidmovable'valve is raised in position.

4. The combination with a liquid-containing tank having a bottom openingtherein, and means for supplying liquid thereto, of a tubular valvemember disposed in said opening and normally adapted to permit thedischarge of liquid therethrough, said valve member being adapted toclose said opening when raised to a predetermined height and to fix theheight of the liquid within said tank when raised above saidpredetermined height.

5. The combination with a liquid-containing tank having a bottom openingtherein and means for continuously supplying liquid thereto, of atubular valve open at its ends and disposed in said opening andinitially occupying its lowest position to permit the discharge ofliquid between it and the edge of said opening, said valve being adaptedto be raised to close said opening and to regulate the height of theliquid within said tank.

6. A tubular valve for a liquid-containing tank comprising an annularsupporting member having portions of different diameters, a plurality oftubular members of cor responding diameters and 0 en at the ends to befitted over said respective portions and secured thereto, and meansassociated with said annular member for supporting said valve.

7. A tubular valve for a liquid-containing tank comprising an annularsupporting member having portions of difi'erent diameters, and aplurality of tubular members open at the ends and fitting tightly oversaid respective portions and projecting in opposite directions, andlongitudinally projecting extensions associated with the inner end ingtank having a bottom opening therein, of a hollow member open at itsends and comprising an upper ylindrical portion'of materially lesssectional area than said opening and normally adapted to projectupwardly therethrough and a lower cylindrical portion of substantiallythe area and configuration of said opening and normally disposed belowand free from said opening and adapted. to substantially fill itwhenraised in position. y

10. The combination with a liquid-containing tank having a bottomopening therein, and means for supplying liquid thereto, of a hollowvalve open at its ends and comprising an upper cylindrical portion ofmaterially less sectional area than said opening and normally adapted toproject upwardly therethrough to permit the tree discharge of liquidbetween it and the edge of said opening and a lower cylindrical portionof substantially the area and configuration of said opening and adaptedto be raised into sliding ARTHUR J. HALL. Witnesses:

H. T. MORRIS, B. B. HINEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner-of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. a

